PASSING the driving test in North Wales appears to be far tougher than anywhere else in Wales, according to latest figures.

In Rhyl, the pass rate in 2007 for learner drivers was just 35%, compared to 63% in Lampeter, West Wales.

In Mold, it was 38% and in Colwyn Bay, 39%. Further south, 58% got through in Cardigan and 54% in Aberystwyth.

Pass rates also top 50% in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea while the national Wales average is 49%.

The figures were obtained by Plaid Cymru, and have prompted South Wales Central AM Chris Franks to seek an explanation from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

Mr Franks said: “The figures from the DSA show a considerable discrepancy between the pass rates for drivers in parts of Wales.

“It does appear much harder to pass a driving test in North Wales than, for instance, in parts of West Wales. Learner drivers also seem to wait longer for tests in the north than their counterparts in other parts of Wales.

“I will be writing to the DSA to find out if there are any local reasons for such a significant difference in pass rates across Wales. I’m sure learner drivers would expect to be treated the same wherever they take their test.

“Waiting times for driving tests also vary considerably which might suggest there are not enough examiners in some areas. For instance, there is a wait of three months in Llanelli but half that time in Cardiff or Newport.”

A spokesman for the DSA denied there was any difference in the difficulty of tests in different regions.

But he said that there could be a correlation between an area’s affluence and the success rate of learners.

“Socio-economic factors, related to different areas, can have a bearing on pass rates and the fact that some people are more prepared for the test than others,” he said.

“The wealthier the town or area, the more likely people are to be able to invest more money on lessons and will have more opportunities for private practice, access to family vehicles etc, and it would be highly improbable that every test centre would return the same pass rate countrywide.

“Examiners are highly trained to ensure they consistently apply the DSA standard of assessment and all driving tests are assessed to a uniform standard throughout the country.

“This ensures that only those candidates who can demonstrate an appropriate and safe standard of driving during the test receive a driving licence.”

He added that all learner drivers should be able to get a practical car driving test within nine weeks at any permanent centre.

Commenting on the statistics, one Mold driving instructor said: “I don’t know whether the closure of the Wrexham test centre had any bearing, but the closure was supposed to be temporary, although nothing seems to have happened about a new one. It’s certainly got far more difficult for the younger ones. I don’t know what the answer is, but we can’t be so bad up here and everywhere else so good!”

 Source: Daily Post website by Carl Butler

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

CAN a petrolhead be an eco-driver?

As the price of petrol edges ever higher, can a change in driving habits use less fuel – and salve a car fan’s conscience?.

By Rob Corp
BBC News

I’m a keen recycler, buyer of energy-saving lightbulbs and user of public transport, but when it comes to cars all my green efforts go out the window (rolled down, sunroof open). Until it started to cost an eye-watering £54 to fill my car with fuel.

With petrol now well over £1 a litre, even my relatively “green” Mini is fast becoming an expensive luxury rather than a convenient mode of transport.

But proponents of a motoring technique known as “eco-driving” – who include the AA, the Energy Saving Trust and the government – claim that it will not just cut emissions of carbon dioxide, but could also improve fuel efficiency by up to 30%.

The idea is that through good maintenance, a more relaxed driving style and cutting out short trips, you can make a difference to the health of the planet – and your wallet.

Tim Shallcross, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, says while car manufacturers have many ideas to make their products more environmentally-friendly, using smarter driving techniques can make an immediate difference.

“If you’ve got a 15-year-old Range Rover and you use these techniques, you’ll save fuel today.”

Tim is full of statistics that suggest a little effort can go a long way.

“Many people are going on holiday at this time of year, and they’ll leave their topbox on for the entire trip. At motorway speeds, that can increase fuel consumption by 20%.”

So with his encouraging words to guide me, I set out for a weekend in West Sussex.

LEG ONE: LONDON TO SUSSEX

This experiment in eco-driving is not scientific. The Magazine’s budget does not run to either specialist fuel efficiency gadgetry, nor does it include one-on-one coaching from an expert.

My car has its own on-board computer, which includes an average miles per gallon setting.

First rule of eco-driving – ditch unnecessary weight. The suitcase, beach bag, cool bag and picnic rug are weekend essentials. But I chuck out old car park tickets and receipts, and recycle the accumulated water bottles and drink cans.

Next I make sure the tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. Under-inflated tyres are not just dangerous – they create more resistance to the road and so make the car less efficient.

Stopping at a supermarket to get fuel, I obey another eco-driving edict – not to brim the tank, as this adds extra weight and reduces fuel efficiency. I pump in 35 litres (the tank holds 40). £41.26 – painful, but not as bad as before.

In the interests of science, I have decided to drive in my usual manner to Sussex, then eco-drive back to London.

Ninety minutes after leaving, we’re off the dual carriageway and onto a lovely B-road.

It’s a driver’s dream. There are fast bends, slow bends, dips, crests. I find myself doing lots of non-eco driving – braking into bends then accelerating out. Overtaking a horse box (albeit safely) was also a bit non-eco.

We arrive at West Wittering on the coast. Before picnicking on the beach I check the car’s computer – 39.2mpg to beat.

LEG TWO: SUSSEX TO LONDON

I do have one small caveat for the return leg, and that is the conditions for getting back to London are a lot more favourable than the trip down – it’s later in the day and a Sunday.

With 39.2mpg to beat, we head off. The picnic bag is empty and my mother-in-law has received her gifts, so our cargo is possibly a smidgeon lighter.

The central tenet of eco-driving is to get into the higher gears sooner and not to rev the engine too hard.

At 2,500 revs a minute, I change up. And again. And again. So far so good. The road is relatively quiet, there are no speed bumps and few traffic lights.

An eco-driver has to read the road – if you can plan ahead, you won’t be accelerating and braking so much, thereby saving fuel and CO2 emissions.

Sadly I am a bit poor at this aspect, and miss my turning. Doubling back wastes fuel, pumps out more greenhouse gases, and earns me some wifely derision.

For as long as I have driven, I’ve used the gears to slow down. But with eco-driving, the idea is to lift off the gas in a higher gear, and allow the car to lose momentum.

If you’re a good eco-driver, you’ll then select the right gear to smoothly move on, without coming to a halt and having to bury your right foot in the carpet to get going.

Soon, we’re cruising along the A3 at a stately 60mph – 10 miles per hour under the speed limit is good for the environment and more miserly on fuel.

Apparently a car’s most efficient speeds are between 45-50mph, but at that speed on a dual carriageway I would need a man with a red flag walking in front.

Fuel-saving wheeze

Even at 60mph, the car’s computer relays good news. At one stage I have to blink as the read-out tells me I am achieving 48.7mpg.

I begin to think I can get through the magic 50mpg barrier. That’s our house to my folks in Bristol on just two gallons of fuel.

It’s not to be, of course. We get stuck in roadworks.

My eco-driving checklist says to turn the engine off if you’re stationary for more than a minute. I do. I also pray that we’re not here for long, as I can’t make up the time lost by travelling at a fuel efficient 60mph.

As we move off, the fuel economy drops down to 47.8mpg. Then I remember another of Tim Shallcross’s fuel-saving wheezes. If you lift off the gas, keeping the car in a high gear, the engine’s computer will stop injecting fuel.

The Surrey hills give me some extra momentum, but the read-out remains resolutely stuck at 47.8mpg.

Even as we hit London, and the traffic builds and the red lights go against me, I do my best to brake gently, accelerate smoothly and anticipate the road ahead.

Even in town, with extra traffic and some frankly bonkers driving by others, I’m still on 47.8mpg.

Doing the maths in my head, I realise that eco-driving could potentially deliver a 20% improvement in fuel economy. Beat that, hybrid drivers.

Five minutes from home, my concentration lapses after coming to a gentle, fuel-efficient stop at a red light. I pull away from the lights while still in third gear and stall.

I over-cook the restart, and rev too hard. The computer clicks down to 47.0mpg. I can’t get it back now, this close to home, even so I’ve eked out another 7.8mpg by eco-driving.

I’m doing the same trip again on Friday. I’m going to see if I can better 47.0mpg. Then I’ll be well set for getting to my parents and back on half-a-tank.

Source: BBC News Magazine website

With eco-driving to be part of the driving test from 10th September 2008 (This assessment is not part of the existing assessment criteria for the practical test and you will not fail your test because you don’t demonstrate eco-safe driving techniques), comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

CLICK HERE FOR ECO-SAFE DRIVING INFORMATION

CLICK HERE FOR DOWNLOAD OF LEAFLET

GETTING a car sounds great, but what does it actually involve and is it worth the money?.

Some people dream of the freedom a driver’s licence and the purchase of a car can bring, while others just can’t be bothered! If, however, you are the former, here are the facts to face up to when thinking of buying a car.

Lessons

Many of you will have passed your test already. For those of you who haven’t, the standard theory test fee is £30. You can take practice tests for free via the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) website www.dsa.gov.uk. Practical driving lessons with a qualified instructor cost between £24 and £30 an hour. People who pass their driving test have had, on average, 45 hours of professional lessons and 22 hours of private practice, according to Government statistics.

Insurance

The price of insuring your car depends on the size of the model of car you drive, your age, your existing road record, how long you have been driving, what sort of job you have and whether you keep your car in the garage. It also depends on the type of policy you get, whether it be third party, fire and theft or comprehensive.

MOT

All vehicles, with the exception of new vehicles, must be taken for an MOT inspection every year to ensure they meet with the minimum environmental and road-safety standards. New vehicles are required to have their first MOT after three years from the date of registration. An MOT inspection can be done at registered garages throughout the UK, and you will need the pass certificate to be able to get insurance and car tax.

Tax

The amount of tax payable on your car is calculated based on engine size or CO2 emissions, depending on the age of the car. Tax will be about £120 per year depending on the type of vehicle, and breakdown cover will work out about another £100 a year.

Petrol

Petrol costs are on the rise due to economic conditions and the price of oil.

Parking

Check out your university’s parking facilities and parking in the area where you live. Some places charge for permits and require evidence of residence or enrolment.

Stolen goods

Remember not to tempt thieves by leaving valuables in a place where someone can see them, like the back seat. Fitting your car with an alarm is a deterrent if someone does break in, and don’t create an opportunity by leaving any windows open or the car unlocked.

Driving under the influence

You may want to offer lifts to friends in return for petrol costs, or volunteer to be the designated driver on outings, but be careful. If you are tempted to drink – or take other substances – when you’re out with friends, driving under the influence is a serious crime. According to the Department for Transport, driving under the influence of alcohol caused 14,350 casualties and 540 deaths (17 per cent of all road deaths) in 2006. The legal limit in the UK is 80mg per 100ml of blood, with ministers looking at reducing it to 50mg in line with EU regulations. Don’t drink and drive!

Web watch

Directgov

Government information about owning a car www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/ owningavehicle/index.htm

National Youth Agency website

Head to the sport, leisure and travel section for guidance and advice www.youthinformation.com

The RAC

Explanation of the costs of running a car can be found on the rac website www.rac.co.uk/web/know-how/owning-a-car

Source: Excerpt from The Independent website by Megan Haddow

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

FROM TODAY, for the first time, it will be a criminal offence to cause death while driving a vehicle which is unlicensed or uninsured, or when disqualified.

Uninsured and unlicensed drivers are killers who must be stopped. There are about 1.5 million people driving on Britain’s roads without insurance. Every year they maim and kill thousands of other motorists, costing the insurance industry around £500 million and adding an average of £30 to every driver’s annual insurance premium.

The present law is ludicrously lax. A car can be a lethal weapon and all too often those causing accidents are drivers who have no right to be on the road. Catching and stopping them, however, is proving very difficult. If a car is never registered, there is no computer record at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in Swansea.

Anyone renewing a tax disc has to show a valid insurance certificate; the presumption is that unless application has been made for a statutory off-road notification (Sorn), car owners who do not renew their tax disc are breaking the law. But there are no records of the thousands who drive old unroadworthy vehicles, untaxed and uninsured and, being untested, inherently dangerous. Random police numberplate scans pick up thousands each year. But for most, the first time their car enters official records is after a crash.

What is especially scandalous is the high number of people still driving while uninsured and the falling level of fines. In 2006 some 263,000 drivers were convicted, compared with 255,000 in 1997. But the average fine paid fell 17 per cent, from £224 in 1997 to £185 in 2006. Payment has become ever harder to enforce: those caught – petty criminals, illegal immigrants, young and reckless drivers – often have no job, no money and no fixed address and magistrates have despaired of levying penalties that cannot be collected.

The law needs to be far tougher. The section of the Road Safety Act 2006 that takes effect on Monday will at least end the absurdity of magistrates needing proof of dangerous driving before they can enforce criminal penalties on uninsured drivers. From next week, a charge of driving while uninsured, unlicensed or disqualified can go before the Crown Court and incur a maximum sentence of two years’ prison. Statistics show the need: in 2000 160 people died because of an uninsured driver; that figure had risen to 208 last year, despite a general fall in road deaths.

Police already have the power to seize and crush old, dangerous and unlicensed cars – a power used too infrequently. Because of the rising cost of learning to drive, passing a test and registering a vehicle, more and more people have been tempted to ignore all the laws on registration and insurance. Their fatal recklessness must be stopped. Keeping a car on the road is, admittedly, expensive – partly because the uninsured put up all insurance costs. Keeping potential killers on the road costs far, far more.

Source: The Times Online website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Thousands of unqualified drivers could be legally driving on UK roads with genuine driving licences.

Fraudsters pass themselves off as the learner and if they pass the test, the licence holder can legally drive without ever sitting the test themselves.

There were 158 reported impersonations in 2004, according to the Driving Standards Agency, but this year the total is expected to exceed 700.

There were 303 cases in 2005, 471 in 2006 and 557 last year, the agency said. 

However the figures could be much higher as experts admit that nobody knows how many people are getting away with it.

It was reported that the scam costs up to £500 per test.

According to the AA, drivers who have not passed a test are up to nine times more likely to have an accident and it is more likely to be a serious one.

A spokesman from the RAC Foundation, said: “Some people see driving licence fraud as a kind of bureaucratic fraud rather than a road safety fraud.

“But it can be a matter of life or death. It really is that serious because technically someone has got a licence that appears to entitle them to drive on the road.

“But many of these people are totally incompetent as drivers, putting their own and other motorists’ lives at risk.

“It’s not a bureaucratic fraud that is a marginal issue but a major issue that needs to be cracked down on.”

A spokeswoman for the Driving Standards Agency said: “We take fraud extremely seriously and are constantly vigilant.”

Source: The Telegraph website and The Daily Mail website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Left-handers are all right when it comes to learning to drive.

As many as 57% of left-handers pass their driving test first time compared with only 47% of right-handers, a poll for the AA Driving School found.

The survey also showed that only 5% of left-handers reckoned they were at a disadvantage in learning to drive, although 27% believed cars were designed with right-handers in mind.

Source: The Press Association

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Do you really think this makes a difference?  Despite being forced to write right-handed, I am actually left-handed myself, but I did pass my test first time….many many years ago!

‘Bag it! and Bin it!- Summer campaign against roadside litter is launched by the Highways Agency.

Drivers are being reminded of the problems that litter can cause on motorways and major A roads as the Highways Agency’s summer “Bag it! and Bin it!” campaign against roadside litter gets underway.

- Along a six mile stretch of the M3 motorway near London (between Junctions 1 and 2), our workers collected 189 refuse bags of litter in one night during planned maintenance work. This was around a tonne of rubbish.

- On 34 miles of the M1 between junction 24 and junction 30 in the East Midlands, roughly 2500 refuse bags of litter are collected each year.

- In the North West, in the first six months of this year, just over 32,100 refuse bags of rubbish were collected from Highways Agency roads.

For the Highways Agency, litter is not only unsightly but also a threat to the environment. Clearing rubbish puts workers at risk of injury, and diverts resources away from road maintenance and repairs. Litter can also block roadside drains and cause localised flooding, and items thrown from vehicles can be a hazard to other road users.

To get across the “Bag it! and Bin it!” message, the Highways Agency is distributing paper litter bags from its exhibition stand at events this summer. The bags are both biodegradable and recyclable.

We want to remind drivers to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicle, and use it to store their litter until it can be thrown away safely in a bin, either when they break their journey or get to their destination.

Derek Turner, Highways Agency’s Director of Network Operations, said:

“Everyone agrees roadside litter is unsightly, and clearing it up from the roadside takes up valuable resources that could be used elsewhere. We want everyone to help us keep England’s roads clear by getting into the habit of keeping a bag in their vehicle to store their rubbish until they can find a bin for it.”

The “Bag it! and Bin it!” campaign against roadside litter is being backed by the RAC Foundation for Motoring and the IAM Motoring Trust.

Sheila Rainger, Deputy Director of the RAC Foundation, said:

“With rubbish, there’s no such place as ‘away’ – every piece of litter tossed onto the carriageway has to be picked up by someone. Throwing litter onto the road is a filthy habit and there’s no excuse; it’s a waste of money which could be better spent on repairs and maintenance; and it’s a safety hazard for everyone who has to dodge bags, cans and bottles on the road. Bag it and bin it, or take it home and recycle it – whatever you do, no-one else wants to see it.”

Neil Greig, Director of the IAM Motoring Trust, said:

“It’s not uncommon for bottles and other pieces of litter to roll around the driver’s feet and get caught up under the brake pedal. If you have to brake suddenly, this could have a devastating impact on the likelihood of an accident. Simply bagging your litter in the car could be a lifesaver – a tidy car is a safe car.”

Source: Highways Agency website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Marianne Kavanagh fears letting her 17-year-old behind the wheel of a car but, it seems, insurers fear it more.

Bumpy road ahead: Marianne Kavanagh keeps hold of the keys as son Joe gets a feel of the driver’s seat in the family BMW he is not yet able to drive.

My son Joe is 17. He wants to learn to drive. This seems reasonable – it’s a rite of passage. We all know the deal. Terrified adults stamp on imaginary brakes while teenagers veer around cul-de-sacs, narrowly missing bollards. My husband, who used to practise kangaroo jumps at an old airfield near Cambridge, terrified his dad; I caused anguish to both my father and my friend’s mother, who kindly took me out in her Mini, apparently deaf to the sound of crashing gears.

But now that it’s my turn for a white-knuckle ride, I’m not so sure. It’s not my safety I’m worried about, but Joe’s. Maybe there were fewer cars around in the dim and distant days of my L-plates, but nowadays young drivers seem to be dicing with death. The statistics are horrifying. One in eight licence-holders is under 25, but this age group accounts for one in four drivers killed on the road. Male drivers aged 17-20 are 10 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than more experienced drivers.

Norwich Union recently released research showing that crash rates among young drivers are rapidly worsening – claims have risen by 300 per cent in the past five years. In the light of all this, it’s not surprising that Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, has called for the blood alcohol limit for drivers aged 17-20 to be cut to zero.

“Joe,” I say, hoping to negotiate, “why do you want to learn to drive?”

“Because it’s cool,” he says. “And because public transport is unreliable.”

I can’t argue with either of these. “But what about the statistics?”

He gives me an old-fashioned look: “It wouldn’t happen to me.”

When you’re young, you think you’re invincible.

Reluctantly I agree that we should set things in motion. First step, provisional licence. Second step, insurance. My husband searches online. The first quote is £6,000; the next is £15,000. “I think it’s because of the car,” he says. Our D-reg BMW – seats sagging, rust gathering at the wheel hubs – is long past its glory days. But it’s too risky for a novice, apparently. Our own insurers won’t even quote for Joe to drive it, not even as a named driver on our policy, until he’s 18 and has held a licence for a year.

Perhaps we should change the car. We do our sums and fall silent. Perhaps a few driving lessons are enough, we think, noting with some anxiety that in London you’re talking nearly £30 an hour.

This is turning into a nightmare. I don’t want Joe to drive because I have visions of him wrapped round a lamppost. It’s hard enough now, lying awake as he makes his way home by bus; if he was at the wheel of a car, I don’t think I’d bother going to bed at all.

But if he’s going to learn, I want him to have as much experience as possible. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’re only just beginning. You have to learn how to drive in the dark, in the rain, on ice, in snow; you have to cope with plastic bags slapping on the windscreen, cats shooting in front of your wheels, toddlers stumbling into the road. In London, you have to be alert to cars in front slamming on their brakes because of a speed camera, unexpected U-turns and drivers playing chicken as they approach you at 60mph in a narrow street with parked cars on either side.

But how is Joe going to build up this vital experience if the insurance premiums are impossible to afford?

“There’s a real paradox here,” says Robert Gifford, executive director of PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety). “At a point when young people are most likely to be supervised, it is extremely expensive to insure them.” There’s a widespread call for greater training.

The Department for Transport is currently consulting on proposals to reform the driving test, and the road safety charity Brake is campaigning for a novice period after the test, which would carry certain restrictions – such as not driving late at night or not carrying passengers under 21. (There’s nothing like a few mates in the back to make you forget everything you’ve learnt.)

But none of this reform carries any weight unless learner drivers can afford the one thing they need – more time on the road.

One new company, Young Marmalade, has seen the gap in the market and seized the initiative. It believes that the risks are lower if you’re driving a new car, rather than an old banger, and offers a combined deal of car purchase and insurance. Provisional licence holders are included in the scheme and start building up their own no-claims bonus immediately. It’s a great idea – but a new car? Is that what it takes to get Joe on the road?

Joe looks at the picture of the Fiat Grande Punto. I look back at him.

“The one thing we haven’t discussed,” I say after a pause, “is the environmental impact. What about a nice new bicycle?”

Source: The Telegraph website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Learner drivers have been banned from using council-run car parks in Gosport to practise their manoeuvres, for fear they could run over children.

Driving instructors face being fined up to £65 if caught teaching students how to park their cars in Gosport.

The ban has been in force for years, but council officers have only recently launched a campaign to stamp it out.

Furious instructors – who also cannot use private car parks – say their students could fail their driving tests, as they have nowhere to practise pulling in to bays, which is an essential part of the exam.

 

Steven Bonnick, of Platinum School of Motoring, Gosport, said some instructors were having to sneak into car parks behind the council’s back.

‘I think they are being really over the top and I can’t understand it. They aren’t losing any revenue, we are just trying to teach people how to drive,’ he said.

‘I use the council car parks every day and we aren’t in anybody’s way, we always pick a quiet corner.

‘There’s nowhere else we can do it and at the moment we are having to practise when there aren’t any council officers around.

‘This just seems like really petty bureaucracy to me.’

Gosport is the only council locally that bans driving instructors from its car parks.

Portsmouth, Havant and Fareham have no such ban.

Colin O’Connell, of the Driving Instructors Association, said: ‘I feel very sorry for the driving instructors.

‘If people can’t practise this it will be harder for them to pass their test.’

Gosport council spokeswoman Brenda Brooker said driving instructors had been banned from its car parks due to the possibility of youngsters getting knocked over – despite there being no record of such an incident.

‘We launched a high-profile campaign to try and warn them not to use the car parks before kids broke up from school,’ she said.

‘This is because of health and safety and the fact there could be lots of youngsters in the car parks over the summer.’

But deputy council leader Peter Chegwyn, who is in charge of car parks, did not agree with the ban. He said: ‘I don’t have any problem with learner drivers practising in our car parks and I’ve not had any complaints about it.’

Source: The News Portsmouth website, by Rob Dabrowski

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

A NEW speed detection system that acts like a police officer inside your car is being tested in NSW in the hope it will help cut the number of road fatalities.

 

CLICK HERE for video (Flash 8 or above needed)

One hundred cars in the Illawarra have been fitted with global positioning system devices that are programmed with the speed limit of every section of road in the region.

By taking bearings from as many as two dozen satellites, the devices are able to determine whether the vehicles are travelling faster than the signposted limit. A warning sound alerts the drivers if they are speeding.

Forty of the trial vehicles have been equipped with a function that gradually slows the car down if it is going too fast.

The trial is part of a $1 million Intelligent Speed Adaptation project run by the NSW Centre for Road Safety, which was established last year.

The Minister for Roads, Eric Roozendaal, said: “Speeding is the biggest killer on our roads. This kind of technology has the potential to help cut the road toll and save lives.

“Speeding is a factor in around 40 per cent of all fatal crashes in NSW, with 139 people losing their lives on our roads last year because of speed.”

The Minister for Police, David Campbell, who is also the Minister for the Illawarra, said the trial vehicles were fleet cars belonging to three organisations, including the University of Wollongong.

“There are around 2500 kilometres of roads in the Illawarra and [Roads and Traffic Authority] road safety officers have identified 4000 speed signs and mapped out 950 speed zones for the devices,” Mr Campbell said.

“Aside from lowering the risk of a speeding-related crash, the other direct benefit of the technology is helping motorists avoid speeding fines.”

The speed limits programmed into the devices are considered to be more accurate than existing vehicle-based navigation units.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, by Jano Gibson Urban Affairs Reporter 

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.